Teen Found Dead in Rockwall Home

Girl's death investigated as a homicide

Rockwall police are investigating the death of a 15-year-old girl who was stabbed to death in her home Tuesday night.

Surie Baeza's mother found her on the floor of her room in the 300-block of Lynne Drive at about 7:15 p.m. and called 911.

Police officers said the girl was unresponsive with multiple stab wounds to her torso when they arrived.

Baeza, a freshman at Rockwall Heath High School, did not go to school on Tuesday because she felt sick, investigators said. Her mother and sibling did not check on her until it was time for dinner.

Authorities are investigating the girl's death as a homicide. On Thursday, the medical examiner said the girl died of several stab wounds and that she also suffered defensive wounds -- meaning she fought against her attacker.  The medical examiner said complete autopsy results will not be available for some time.

Detectives also said on Thursday morning that they initially had a 12-hour window for when the murder could have taken place.  That window has now been reduced to two hours after they received a report that someone saw her alive at about 2 p.m. Tuesday, just two hours before her mother returned home from work.

Police said they do not have any possible suspects in the teen's death and that there were no signs of forced entry into the home. 

Baeza has a boyfriend, but he was likely at school at the time, investigators said.

Community Outraged Over Girl's Murder

Caitlin Davis Wilson, a senior at Rockwall Heath High School who lives next door to Baeza, said she didn’t know Baeza very well but knew of her.

“She was really nice,” she said. "One of my friends was good friends with her, so I heard a lot of nice things. She was in band. She was a really good flute player. My art teacher had her, and she said she was just really nice and she was really happy all the time.”

Anthony Alvizu, another neighbor, said he doesn’t know the family well but is furious about the killing.

“Whoever did this, they’re going to have to burn for it," he said. "This is bad. You don’t do that, especially to a little girl."

Homicides are rare in Rockwall. Police Sgt. Jeff Welch said he knows of only two in the past 30 years.

Rockwall police said anyone with information can text tips anonymously to 274637 using the word "Rockwall" followed by the tip. 

NBC 5's Mark Schnyder contributed to this report.

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